Since man first walked the Earth, he turned to nature to provide prevention and healing for internal and external ailments, and to meet the needs of the skin and hair. Knowledge was passed down through the generations – things we know refer to as “folk law” or “traditional remedies”. Many of the natural remedies used by Ancient Egyptians, referred to in the Ebers Papyrus, circa 1550 BC, or used by Hippocrates, also known as the ‘father of medicine’, have stood the test of time and are still in use today.
Whilst it may seem that natural remedies took a backseat with the introduction of the scientific pharmacy and the wide distribution of synthetic drugs, it is estimated that as many of 80% of the world’s population still rely almost entirely on plants as their primary health provider. Today as we look for new effective cures for life-threatening diseases, and seek new antibiotics for multi-resistant organisms, the scientists are once again exploring nature’s natural remedies for inspiration.
Did you know that approximately 50% of pharmaceutical drugs contain chemicals which are either harvested from plants or derived from plants. The “semi-synthesized” drugs are scientifically modified versions of natural materials, whilst natural chemicals extracted from plants provided the model for most of the man-made “synthesized” drugs. Furthermore, It is estimated that 80% of the anticancer, antimicrobial, cardiovascular, and immunosuppressive drugs available today are of plant origin.
As people begin to recognize the long-term harm that we are inflicting on our bodies by overuse of synthetic drugs and in particular by the chemicals contained in our grooming essentials, more and more people and looking for alternative healthy options and following in the footsteps of our ancestors and turning back to nature. Furthermore, scientific studies are confirming the validity of these age-old remedies.
So what natural oils are readily available to enhance our health and replace our grooming products, and what exactly can they do? Let’s take a closer look at twenty popular choices:
Black Seed Oil
Taken internally: Boosts the immune system, protects the body from cell damage and chronic diseases, treats digestive tract conditions, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and eases inflammation, muscular aches and joint pain.
Applied topically: Hydrates, soothes, and nourishes the skin, eliminates fungal infections and blemishes, treats skin and scalp conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dandruff and acne, stimulates skin regeneration and healing, promotes hair growth and strengthens the hair follicles.
Diffused: Supports the health of the upper respiratory tract system.
Carrot Seed Oil
Taken orally: Strengthens the immune system, restores and protects eye health, protects the body from cell damage and chronic diseases, cleanses the blood and lymph system, eliminates toxins and excess fluid, treats intestinal ulcers and kidneys stones, promotes liver, kidney and gallbladder health and efficient functioning of digestive and urinary tract, and restores the body after serious illness.
Applied topically: Nourishes, tightens and regenerates the skin, relieves rashes and inflammatory skin disorders, improves skin tone and elasticity, rejuvenates ageing skin, diminishes freckles and hyperpigmentation, promotes tanning and protects against UV, soothes dandruff, restores hair health, strength and luster and stimulates growth.
Used as a massage oil: Reduces muscle and joint inflammation.
Castor Oil
Taken orally: A treatment for internal hemorrhoids, to purge the intestines, and to relieve constipation.
Applied topically: Softens and tightens the skin, minimises the signs of ageing, heals wounds and blemishes, soothes and treats skin infections and conditions such as ringworm, warts, acne, dermatitis and psoriasis, eliminates nail fungi, reduces scarring and stretchmarks, relieves external hemorrhoids, repairs hair structure, prevents hair loss, and nourishes and stimulates the growth of hair, brows and lashes.
Used as a massage oil or warm poultice: Improves circulation, relieves inflammation, joint pain and muscle stiffness, and restores flexibility and ease of movement.
Coconut Oil
Taken orally: Boosts immunity, aids weight loss, reducing appetite, speeding up the metabolism and helping to burn fat.
Applied topically: Preserves the skins moisture, provides a protective barrier, kills bacteria on the skin, reduces acne, soothes dry skin, dermatitis and eczema, heals cracks, reduces inflammation and discomfort, minimises razor burn, helps prepare the skin before sun exposure and preserves a tan, removes make-up, laminates the hair with a protective barrier against the elements, heat styling and chemicals, prevents dryness and brittleness, restores damage, reduces frizz and flyaway hair, protects and treats dried, chapped or cracked lips.
Used as a massage oil: Reduces inflammation and reduces discomfort of arthritis.
As a mouthwash or for oil-pulling: Prevents plaque, tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath.
Fenugreek Oil
Taken internally: Supports women’s health relieving discomfort during PMS, menstruation, and menopause, maintaining the stability of the nervous system and keeping the skin healthy, increases libido and stimulates lactation in nursing mothers. Improves testosterone levels in men, counteracting infertility by improving sperm count, libido, mood and energy levels. Reduces inflammation, cleanses the stomach, intestines and kidneys from toxins, regulates blood glucose and cholesterol levels, helps with digestive problems and relieves stomach pain, counteracts the formation of tumours, dispels anemia, relieves symptoms of a cold, flu and pulmonary disease, and assists recovery after illness.
Used as a massage oil: Helps to enhance the fullness, firmness, overall look and even size of the breasts
Flax Seed Oil
Taken orally: Protects against certain chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, arthritis and particular types of cancer, stabilises cholesterol and blood glucose levels, reduces the risk of blood clots, reduces inflammation in joint diseases, protects the liver, promotes weight loss, normalises fat metabolism, regulates the appetite, relieves constipation, improves the health of the intestinal tract and nervous system, fights oxidative stress, and relieves symptoms in menopausal and postmenopausal women.
Applied topically: Minimises inflammation and irritation on the skin, reduces the secretion of excess oils, reduces the size of open pores, evens the complexion, nourishes and hydrates the nail cuticle and prevents brittle nails.
Lettuce Seed Oil
Taken internally: Restores, supports and relaxes the nervous system, reduces anxiety, relieves sleeping disorders, nervous tics, spasms and cramps, promotes metabolism, eliminates toxins and assists in weight loss, boosts heart health, reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, protects the body from cell damage and chronic diseases including diabetes, and helps with liver repair.
Applied topically: Repairs, rejuvenates and rehydrates the skin, relieves irritation and inflammatory skin disorders, soothes skin lesions, reduces hyperpigmentation and balances skin colour, enriches hair follicles, enhances hair structure and strength, restores damaged hair, prevents hair loss and stimulates hair growth.
Used as a massage oil: Relieves muscle spasms, cramps and tension.
Olive Oil
Taken orally: Improves cardiovascular health and prevents heart disease, regulates blood pressure and blood glucose levels, protects against certain types of cancer, and is bone protective, greatly enhancing bone health and protecting against degenerative bone diseases.
Applied topically: A natural cleanser for the skin and pores, removing make-up, dirt, and excess sebum, promoting silkiness and smoothness and helping the skin to retain moisture, whilst for the hair it strengthens the follicles, preserves moisture, smooths, protects against hair loss, brittleness and splitting, and imparts a healthy shine.
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Taken orally: Improves the health of the urinary and digestive tract, heart, kidneys, liver, and immune system, reduces inflammation, strong antioxidant effect protecting the body from cell damage and chronic diseases, improves blood glucose levels, increases metabolism and expels toxins, prevents and treats prostate problems, erectile dysfunction and diseases of the bladder and urethra, increases sexual potency in men, balances hormones in women, treats gynecological diseases, provides essential nutrition for a growing child, treats hemorrhoids, inhibits internal parasites, encourages mental wellbeing by boosting the mood and reducing depression.
Applied topically: Promotes a healthy scalp and hair, and prevents hair loss.
Rucola Seed Oil
Taken internally: Promotes digestion and weight loss, increases metabolism, boosts energy, eliminates toxins and excess fluid, relieves joint inflammation and improves joint mobility, strengthens cartilage tissue, prevents muscle pain and fatigue, an aphrodisiac, boosts male fertility, prevents and treats erectile dysfunction, regulates blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity, promotes cardiovascular health, improves blood vessels, maintains healthy blood pressure level, reduces cholesterol, combats anaemia, slows down and manages degenerative neurodegenerative conditions, stimulates lactation and provides necessary nutrients for nursing mothers.
Applied topically: Prevents and treats skin disorders, boosts elasticity, minimising wrinkles and scars, treats dandruff, awakens dormant hair follicles and rectifies hair loss, synthesizes proteins into keratin for healthy hair and nails, strengthening and eliminating brittleness and splitting.
Used as a massage oil: Reduces inflammation and pain in joints and muscles.
Sesame Oil
Taken orally: Strengthens the immune, reproductive, endocrine and nervous systems, allays anxiety and depression, repairs and maintains bone health and protects against bone disease, strengthens dental health, reduces plaque, helps prevent cavities, improves cardiovascular health, lowers cholesterol levels and blood pressure, improves blood clotting, protects against iron deficiency anemia, stimulates digestion, cleanses the digestive system, reduces stomach acidity, helps prevent gallbladder disease and fatty liver, antioxidant effect protects the body from cell damage and chronic diseases, protects against cancer.
As a gargle: Helps with mouth and throat infections and relieves symptoms of gum disease.
Used topically: Softens and nourishes the skin, heals damaged and irritated skin, promotes healing of wounds, cracks and burns, stimulates circulation in the scalp and stimulates hair growth, regenerates chemically damaged hair, helps to retain hair colour, nourishes and strengthens nails and rehydrates the cuticles.
Used as a massage oil: Reduces inflammation, is a popular carrier oil and excellent for a baby massage.
Walnut Oil
Taken orally: Improves and maintains cardiovascular health, stabilises blood pressure and heart rate, strengthens blood vessels, reduces cholesterol and blood glucose levels, improves blood circulation, stimulates libido, nourishes the brain and improves brain function, improves cognition, memory and learning ability, strengthens the bones, protects against bone and joint disease, strengthens the nervous system, regulates sleep, relieves fatigue, reduces depression and anxiety, recovers mental and physical health, contributes to full mental, physical and sexual development of children and adolescents, helps children with slow development, advantageous for treatment of digestive and stomach disorders, strong antioxidant protecting the body from cell damage and chronic diseases, and slowing the ageing process.
Applied topically: Nourishes the skin and helps relieve eczema and psoriasis, heals wounds and cracks, treats and relieves varicose veins.
Wheat Germ Oil
Taken orally: Strengthens the immune system, improves cardiovascular and blood vessel health, maintains normal blood pressure rates, lowers cholesterol, reduces risk of blood clots, helps to balance hormones and reduce symptoms of PMS, supports the nervous system, lowers anxiety and depression, promotes intestinal health and helps to expel toxins, strong antioxidant properties to protect the body from cell damage and chronic diseases.
Applied topically: Improves blood circulation, restores and rejuvinates dry dehydrated skin, relieves allergies, eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis, reduces scarring and stretch marks, heals burns and small ulcers, regulates the skin’s pigmentation, diminishes the signs of ageing, provides protection for the skin and hair, renews the structure of weak, damaged or coloured hair, and reduces split ends, nourishes the nail cuticle and adds flexibility and strength to the nails.
Used as a massage oil: Helps to reduce the appearance of cellulite.
For external use only:
Almond Oil
For skin: An excellent massage oil, often used to reduce skin turgor and to treat cellulite.
Penetrates deeply to restore the skin’s natural protective film to protect against oxidative damage and prevent premature ageing, stimulates the natural production of collagen and elastin, accelerates skin renewal, repairs skin damage, normalises the sebaceous glands to balance the oil content in the skin, accelerates regeneration of the skin cells and improves elasticity, evens out the skin tone and improves the complexion, reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, benefits skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis, non comedogenic, dissolves excess sebum and unclogs pores from dirt and sebum, whilst its antibacterial property can reduce acne, and protect against infection and prevent further breakouts. It also prevents the formation of stretch marks during pregnancy, remedies under eye puffiness and dark circles, fades the appearance of stretch marks and post-operative scars, softens and tones the skin, and can also be used as a cleanser and make-up remover.
For hair: Moisturises, seals and protects, is absorbed quickly but does not weigh down the hair, helps the hair grow stronger, longer and healthier, promotes and accelerates hair growth and reduces thinning, calms irritation and inflammation of the scalp and reduces the symptoms of dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis and scalp psoriasis, infuses the hair with essential nutrients, helping to retain moisture and elasticity, and reduce friction during styling, and protect against damage caused by brushing, heat styling, and chemical treatments such as colouring, emollient properties can fill gaps in the hair at the cellular level, smooth the hair cuticle, and improve overall texture and resilience, fortifies very dry hair, split ends and frizz.
Other uses: Make-up remover, eyelash and brow treatment, nail and cuticle treatment, beard conditioner.
Argan Oil
For skin: Moisturises, softens and nourishes the skin and improves wound healing, provides healing for skin conditions such as dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema, providing regeneration of damaged cells, and reducing symptoms, regulates amounts of sebum on the skin, and its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties can reduce any infection and reduce any redness and inflammation, including acne. It protects against and reverses the signs of premature ageing, improves blood microcirculation in the subcutaneous layer, stimulates the natural production of collagen and elastin, increases the skin’s firmness and elasticity and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
For hair: Deeply nourishes the scalp and roots, balances sebum production and restores the pH level of the hair, promotes a healthy scalp and protects against conditions like dandruff and dermatitis, penetrates the cortex to nourish the hair shaft, helping to repair damage from within, regenerating the cells, strengthening the hair, promoting elasticity, and forming a protective layer around each strand, and protecting against brittleness, breakage and split ends, plus it accelerates the production of keratin, stimulating hair growth and protecting against hair fall and loss. Leaves the hair soft, smooth, shiny and manageable and is ideal for curly, textured hair. Argan oil may be used as a leave-in conditioner before heat styling or to reduce frizz, and as a styling product to define curls.
Other uses: Eyelash and brow treatment, nail and cuticle treatment, beard conditioner.
Grapeseed Oil
For skin: Ideal base oil for massage, regenerates damaged skin tissue and remedies cellulite. Extremely lightweight and easily absorbed, soothes and nourishes the skin, cleanses the skin, removes sebum blocked in pores, reduces inflammation, accelerates the repair of damaged skin, fortifies the skin’s barrier, prevents moisture loss and softens the skin, promotes collagen repair, protects against sun damage, hydrates and firms the skin, protects against premature ageing and also reverses existing damage by diminishing the appearance of dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles, plus it diminishes hyperpigmentation and the appearance of scars, varicose veins, spider veins, cellulite and stretch marks. Highly beneficial for the treatment of acne, dermatitis and eczema and for combating ageing skin.
For hair: Treats brittle and weak hair and hair fall, effectively fights and reduces the symptoms of dandruff, dermatitis and psoriasis, boosts the blood circulation to the scalp to stimulate hair follicles and boost growth, blocks the production of the hormone DHT which causes hair loss, protects against UV, oxidant and heat damage, strengthens the hair structure and restores texture, adds shine, reduces frizz and untangles the hair. Gentle enough for fine or thinning hair, yet nourishing enough for thick, curly or coarse hair. Use as a quick fix for frizz control by adding a tablespoon to one cup of distilled water in a spray bottle, shake well and spray liberally to frizzy hair.
Other uses: make-up remover, eyelash and brow treatment, nail and cuticle treatment, beard conditioner.
Jojoba Oil
For skin: A wonderful massage used alone or with the addition of essential oils. Non-comedogenic and humectant, dissolves sebum in clogged pores, balances sebum production, reduces redness and inflammation, prevents infection, forms a protective barrier on the skin, stimulates collagen production, encourages the binding of skin cells separated due to a wound or cut, and actively promote wound healing, protects against skin damage caused by free radicals, and premature ageing, improves the tone, plumpness and elasticity of the skin, and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, thus highly suitable for acne, eczema, psoriasis, or any dry, damaged, inflamed skin, plus mature and oily skin. Relieves fungal infections, including ringworm, athlete’s foot and nail infections, is an effective make-up remover, can be used to remedy/prevent chapped or cracked lips, and is perfect for a massage for baby.
For hair: Removes blockages in the pores and follicles, thus encouraging hair growth and reducing hair fall, promotes hair thickness and growth, making the strands healthier, balances oil production on the scalp, reducing dryness or oiliness, moisturises the follicles, provides nourishment, and helps to promote strong and healthy hair. A small amount of oil tames split ends, flyaway or frizzy hair.
Other uses: Make-up remover, eyelash and brow treatment, nail and cuticle treatment, beard conditioner.
Lupine Oil
For skin: Brightens and lightens the skin, eliminates age spots, age-related pigmentation and freckles, and evens out the complexion, reduces an oily sheen on the skin, soothes skin inflammation and irritated skin and removes traces of acne, moisturises and restores the skin’s barrier, promotes rapid healing of cuts, wounds and abrasions, smooths and tightens existing wrinkles and helps skin to retain its elasticity, protects skin from harmful environmental influences and as an ultraviolet filter.
For hair: Effectively nourishes the hair and improves blood circulation and metabolism in the cells of the hair follicles to rejuvenate the scalp and stimulate healthy hair growth, reduce hair loss, and significantly increase the thickness of the hairline. Hair will be restored along its entire length, becoming more manageable, stronger, thicker, more voluminous and shiny.
Lemongrass
In aromatherapy: Uplifts a negative mood to prevent depression, relieves stress, anxiety, irritability, nervousness and lethargy, strengthens the mind, and boosts confidence and self-esteem, remedies insomnia, relieves headaches and migraines, suppresses nausea, dispels the symptoms of a cold, flu, sinus infection and other respiratory ailments, combats a fever, relieves dizziness and fatigue. A natural insect repellent, it also eliminates unpleasant odours and air-borne pathogens.
Applied topically: On the skin, it promotes glowing, evenly toned skin. It cleanses the pores, removes impurities, tightens and tones the skin, strengthens the skin tissue, and reduces acne and redness, neutralises damaging free radicals, eliminates fungal infections, prevents wounds and burns becoming infected, supports wound healing, and is a natural deodorant. Used on the scalp and hair it brings relief to an itchy, irritated scalp, relieve dandruff, reduces excess oiliness of the scalp, nourishes and strengthens the hair follicles, promotes growth, reduces hair fall, and leaves the hair fresh and shiny.
Used as a massage oil: Relieves aching muscle and joint pains caused by overexertion through exercise, or due to arthritis, reduces inflammation, can slow the flow of blow by contracting blood vessels, eliminates excess fluids and toxins, tones and purifies the skin, and diminishes the appearance of cellulite, stretch marks and scars.
Note: cannot be applied directly to the hair or body. Must be diluted in a carrier oil.
Marjoram Oil
In aromatherapy: Helps to reduce stress and anxiety, and has a calming effect on mind and body, and is effective against headaches, insomnia, fatigue and travel sickness, stimulates the digestive system to relieve stomach cramps, flatulence, nausea or indigestion, remedies snoring, lowers high blood pressure, and relieves viral and bacterial respiratory ailments including colds and flu – promotes the breakdown of phlegm and prevents its accumulation in the sinuses, larynx, bronchi and lungs.
Applied topically: Nourishes, lubricates and repairs the skin, soothes dryness and locks in moisture, regulates sebum production and deeply cleanses the skin to reduce breakouts, alleviates warts and calluses.
Used as massage oil: Diminishes cramps, muscle spasms and tightness, and provides an instant and long-lasting soothing effect.
Note: cannot be applied directly to the hair or body. Must be diluted in a carrier oil.
So there you have it – twenty gifts from Nature, providing healthy alternatives for all our ailments and beauty needs, without the addition of any suspicious chemicals, colourings or fragrances. Which will you choose? Healthy decisions today, affect your future wellbeing.
